In the second quarter of 2015, there were 8,500 job vacancies in Estonia, up 16.5 percent compared to the previous quarter, and 11 percent more than during the same period a year ago, Statistics Estonia reported.

The highest number of unfilled posts was in manufacturing (20 percent of all unfilled jobs), followed by wholesale and retail (16 percent) and education (10 percent).

The number of unfilled jobs increased the most in finance and insurance, and in information and communication, where the number of available jobs close to doubled in a year.

Geographically, most of the available jobs were in Harju County, including Tallinn (56 percent of all unfilled jobs), followed by Tartu (11 percent) and Ida-Viru (8 percent) counties.

The vast majority (71 percent) of the vacant jobs were in the private sector. A year ago that figure was 78 percent.